London 25/09/19 - Indigenous leaders, business representatives, investors and civil society gathered on September 20th at Roosevelt House, New York for the 10th annual Mary Robinson Speaker Series. 

This year's event, 'Turning up the heat: Solutions from indigenous peoples and progressive business to drive the transition to a low-carbon economy', explored how these groups can work together to ensure the low-carbon transition can respect the human rights of indigenous people and others, who are already on the front line of climate change.   

The event began with opening remarks by Phil Boomer, Executive Director of the Resource Centre, and an introduction by Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Chair of The Elders.

Mary Robinson said: 

"We know that marginalized and indigenous peoples are disproportionately affected by climate change, but they are also at the forefront of advancing solutions."

She was followed by keynote speaker Ikal Angelei, Goldman Enviornmental Prize Recipient and Director of Friends of Lake Turkana in Kenya, which she co-founded in 2008. 

There was then a panel discussion led by Mary Robinson, featuring Steven Heim, Chair of the advocacy subcommittee of the Social Investment Forum’s Indigenous Peoples Working Group (IPWG), Boston Common Asset Management, Dave Isaac, President, W Dusk Energy Group, Julia Mello Neiva, Brazil, Portugal & Portuguese-speaking Africa Senior Researcher & Representative, BHRRC, and Janene Yazzie, Co-convener of the Indigenous Peoples Major Group on the Sustainable Development Goals.

Click here for more information on the Mary Robinson Speaker Series.

You can also watch a video tribute to ten years of the series here.